Golf tee leveling and driving instrument



Aug. 1, 1967 o. M. BUDZINSKI GOLF TEE LEVELING AND DRIVING INSTRUMENTFiled Feb. 8, 1965 FIG. 2

FIG!

NTOR

M. BUDZINSKI wL NE N A D BY M,

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,333,848 GOLF TEE LEVELING AND DRIVINGINSTRUMENT Daniel M. Budzinski, 15 Springbrook Road, Auburn, Mass. 01501Filed Feb. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 430,809 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-33) ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A golf tee leveling and device for setting the same inthe ground comprising a relatively solid member having a recess in it toreceive the head of the tee, together with a clamping means for clampingthe shank of the tee as it extends from said recess so that the objectcan be grasped in the hand and the means for engaging the shank of thetee holding the same steady and straight, the golf tee is easily setinto the ground.

This invention relates to an instrument for a golfer to accurately setup his tee where desired quickly and accurately and at the same desiredheight each time the instrument is used for this purpose.

Among the objects of the invention in this case there are included theprovision of an instrument which comprises in general a main frame orthe like and in this frame there is provided a receptacle for thereception of the head end of the tee to a certain desired and adjustableextent, with the point of the tee extending out of the recess ready tobe inserted in the ground; in combination with resilient clamping meansholding the shaft of the tee in correct alignment with respect to theframe so that the tee is placed perpendicular with respect to the groundin which it is driven and extending a certain desired amount from theground so that it is always placed the same, so that the golfertherefore becomes used to striking the ball ata uniform level every timehe drives the ball from the tee.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation illustrating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the device in use;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view looking in the direction of arrow 3 in FIG.1 and showing the tee clamping means in clamping position, the tee beingshown in section, and

FIG. 4 is a similar View with parts removed, showing the tee clampingmeans in open position.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention which is used to illustratethe same herein, the instrument comprises in general a ball-like member10. It is of course clear that the device does not have to be sphericaland it can assume any shape, but it has been found that the sphericalshape is convenient and fits the hand. This balllike member is providedwith a relatively large cylindrical radial recess 12 which is providedwith screw threads and preferably extends past the center of member 10.In this recess there is screw threaded a stop member or abutment 14which is provided with a screwdriver receiving slot of any kind as maybe desired in order to adjust the same in an axial direction along therecess. Member 14 as indicated in FIG. 2 abuts the head of the tee whichhas been indicated by the reference numeral 16, the shaft of the teebeing indicated at 18, and it will be seen that merely by turning thescrew by a conventional screwdriver or any other convenient tool, theprojection of the point of the tee from the device can be controlled butwill always be constant, depending upon the adjustment of member 14 atthe will of the operator, see FIG. 2.

3,333,848 Patented Aug. 1, 1967 "ice provided with heads for the purposeof holding at their ends resilient strips 22 and 24 to the device in therelationship as best shown in FIG. 1. The resilient members 22 and 24are turned in or bent at 26 and 28 respectively so that they form tWofiat overlapping tee clamping members 30 and 32. The member 30 isprovided with turned up ears 34 at the side edges thereof to slidinglyreceive therebetween the slightly narrower member 32, and it is to benoted that the members 30 and 32 are flat, parallel and perpendicular tothe axis of the recess 12 and to the diameter of the ball-like memberthat is preferably coincident therewith.

The member 32 is provided with an aperture preferably circular but notnecessarily so, and indicated by the reference numeral 36. The member 30has a similar aperture 38. The members 30 and 32 are so formed that whenthey are in their relaxed position, the apertures fail to coincide, andthe clamp is therefore substantially closed. However, upon squeezing themembers 22 and 24 together so that members 30 and 32 ride over eachother, the apertures tend to coincide and this opens the clamp, see FIG.4. When the parts are in this position, the head of the tee can beinserted through the combined openings 36, 38 with the head of the teeabutting the member 14. The point of the tee extends out through members30 and 32 to the desired amount depending on the position of member 14.

When the user relaxes his fingers, the clamp members 32 and 30 retractautomatically and grasp the shaft of the tee, see FIG. 3, holding thesame in position and exactly in axial alignment with respect to therecess 12.

After the user has selected the area Where the tee is to be placed, hecan proceed to drive or press the tee into the ground with the levelinginstrument in the palm of the hand without touching the resilientmembers 22 and 24, the inturned portions of which clamp the tee. Afterhaving positioned the tee to his satisfaction, the golfer exerts manualpressure once more, aligning the openings in the clamp as in FIG. 4 andthe instrument can now be moved leaving the tee in its leveled position,driven into the ground at proper height. The leveling instrument canthen be placed in a bag or pocket without damage and it will be seenthat the tees are always at the same height and are perpendicular withrespect to the ground.

A bubble level may be inserted in the device as indicated by thereference numeral 40 so that if the user desires he can make sure thatthe tee is precisely perpendicular, but in many cases the user willacclimate himself sufliciently to the device so that the bubble level,although very useful at times, is not always necessary.

The instrument of the present invention is very easy to use by anyone,it is inexpensive to manufacture, and is sturdily constructed so that itis not easily broken or distorted in any way. The member 10 can be madeof any size and shape desired that fits comfortably into the palm of thehand and it is also of a size so that it is conveniently carried in thepocket.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A golf tee leveling and driving instrument comprising a frame, anelongated recess in said frame, said recess having an open end, a memberin said recess, means for adjusting said member along said recess forthe disposition of a golf tee head thereagainst at a selected positionof the tee point relative to the open end of the recess, clamp meansmounted on said frame adapted to hold the extending shank of the tee ingeneral alignment with reher, said apertures being selectivelysubstantially aligned but normally misaligned to provide for theinsertion of a tee therethrough into the recess or selectively to claspthe shank of the tee.

2. The golf tee leveling and driving instrument of claim 1 includingmeans maintaining the center of the combined apertures in centralalignment with respect to said recess so that the shank of the golf teeis always held in axial alignment with respect to said recess.

3. The golf tee leveling and driving instrument of claim 1 includingmeans maintaining the center of the combined apertures in centralalignment with respect to said recess so that the shank of the golf teeis always held in axial alignment with respect to said recess, saidclamping members each comprising a resilient strip having an end adaptedto be mounted on said frame and including means for mounting said stripson said frame in separated spaced condition with respect thereto ateither side of said recess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,902,682 3/1933 Walrath 273332,943,856 7/1960 Eirnerman 273-33 3,074,719 1/1963 McKee 27333 RICHARDC. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Examiner.

R. I. APLEY, Assistant Examiner.

1. A GOLF TEE LEVELING AND DRIVING INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A FRAME, ANELONGATED RECESS IN SAID FRAME, SAID RECESS HAVING AN OPEN END, A MEMBERIN SAID RECESS, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID MEMBER ALONG SAID RECESS FORTHE DISPOSITION OF A GOLF TEE HEAD THEREAGAINST AT A SELECTED POSITIONOF THE TEE POINT RELATIVE TO THE OPEN END OF THE RECESS, CLAMP MEANSMOUNTED ON SAID FRAME ADAPTED TO HOLD THE EXTENDING SHANK OF THE TEE INGENERAL ALIGNMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID RECESS AS THE TEE IS DRIVEN INTOGROUND BY MANUAL PRESSURE ON SAID FRAME, THE TEE CLAMP MEANS COMPRISINGA PAIR OF OVERLAPPING MEMBERS, MEANS FORMING A TEE SHANK-RECEIVINGAPERTURE IN EACH OVERLAPPING MEMBER, SAID APERTURES BEING SELECTIVELYSUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED BUT NORMALLY MISALIGNED TO PROVIDE FOR THEINSERTION OF A TEE THERETHROUGH INTO THE RECESS OR SELECTIVELY TO CLASPTHE SHANK OF THE TEE.